K.S. Manikandan is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli. He holds a doctorate in management from IIM Bangalore. His research on organizational growth and governance has appeared in leading journals, including Harvard Business Review, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management Studies, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, and Communications of the Association for Information Systems. Manikandan has received several honors, such as the AIS Learning Action Award (2020), EFMD Best Case Award (2017), and the Director's Merit Award (IIM Bangalore). He teaches courses in Design Thinking, Strategy, The Entrepreneurial Manager, Strategies for Growth, and Strategic Leadership across MBA, Executive MBA, and Executive Education programs. Manikandan has conducted design thinking workshops and training on strategy for various organizations. Before academia, he studied Mechanical Engineering at the College of Engineering Guindy and worked with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and TVS Motor Company.